Shock-absorbing member for railroad bumper-posts.



I. F. OGONNOR.

'SHOOK ABSORBING MEMBER FOR RAILROAD BUMPER POSTS.

APPLIGATION FILED NOV. 24, 1913- 1 1 22,992.

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THE NUHRI PETERS co., PHOYO LITHCL. WASHING (ON. I). c.

Patented Dec. 29, 1914.

J. F. O'CONNOR.

SHOCK ABSORBING MEMBER FOR RAILROAD BUMPER POSTS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 24, 1913.

1,122,992. I v Patented Dec.29,1914.

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' THE NORRIS PETERS 60., PHOTO-LITHQ. WASHINGTON. D. C

J. P. OOONNOR. SHOCK ABSORBING MEMBER FOR. RAILROAD BUMPER POSTS. APPLICATION FILED NOV, 24, 1913.

1,122,992, I Patented Dec. 29, 1914.

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John f 0 'Co/mor B MM 6/ HLS' .4 TTORNE Z WITNESSES:

UNTTED fiTATE PA TENT @FFTQE.

JOHN F. OCONNOR, OF CHICAGO, ILLINUIS, ASSIGNOR TO WILLIAM H. MINER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SHOCK-ABSORBING MEMBER FOR RAILROAD BUMPER-POSTS.

Application filed November 24, 1913.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN F. OCoNNoR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cool: and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Shock-Absorbing Members for Railroad Bumper-Posts, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in. shock absorbing members for railroad bumper posts.

The object of my invention is to provide a shock absorbing member specially adapted for railroad bumping posts of high ca pacity and efficient operation.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification-Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in longitudinal section of the shock absorbing member employed in connection with a railroad bumping post embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a cross section, the left one-half thereof being taken to the central portion of Fig. 1 on line 22 thereof, the right one-half thereof being taken to the central portion of Fig. 1 on line 33 thereof; Fig. 3 is an elevation partly in longitudinal section showing the shock ab sorbing member in assembled relation with the bumper post; Fig. 4 is a cross section taken on line 4.4 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings the numeral 5 represents a foundation or base, preferably of concrete, and in preferable construction provided with the upper plates 6, 6 and lower plates 7, 7 and connecting bolts 8, 8. The bumping post 9 and shock absorbing member 10 are mounted upon the base 5, preferably in the manner hereinafter described, as follows: The numerals 11, 11 represent cross girders, preferably I beams, disposed at suitable intervals transversely of the bumping post, and resting upon the longitudinally disposed beams 12, 12, preferably I beams, sunk in the base 5. The transverse beams 11 are provided with the connector angles 11, 11 The rails 13, suitably spaced apart to permit the operation of a railroad car thereon, are secured to the plate 1 1 at the rail line, preferably by means of the plates 15, 15 and the bolts 16, 16. The plate 14 preferably extends the entire length of the device, and also bears inter- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 23 1914.

Serial No. 802,848.

mediate the rails two pairs of supports 17, 17. The bumper post 9 comprises a girder 18 longitudinally disposed, and at substantially the height of the buffer upon railroad cars, the same consisting of suitable plate girders 19 having connecting angle irons 20, and provided with a plurality of forward and rear cover plates 21, 21 and 22, 22 respectively. The sides of the bumping post are formed of longitudinal plates 23, 23, preferably downwardly extended over the ends of cross girders 11, and suitably secured thereto by the connector angles 11 riveted thereon. The said bumper post is also provided with .bracing members, preferably the angle irons 241 with connecting plates 25, to form a secure bumping post, preferably of sufiicient weight and strength to resist a minimum pressure of one million pounds. The plates 23 of the bumping post are preferably forwardly eX- tended with downwardly oblique upper edge 26, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, between which is mounted the shock absorbing member 10 at a suflicient height to enable the rear end thereof to engage against the transverse buffer plate 21 with which the bumping post is provided. The said shock absorbing member 10 comprises a spring cage 28 and a friction shell 29 at either end thereof, each of said friction shells being preferably detachably secured to the spring cage 28. It also comprises the parts connected therewith and hereinafter described. In preferable construction the spring cage is of a general cylindrical form having a hollow interior, preferably shaped to conform to the shape of the springs assembled therein, as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawlngs.

In the particular form of shock absorbing member illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings the spring cage 28 is provided at either end with an outwardly extended flange 30, each adapted to engage the outwardly extended flange 31 with which each of the friction shells is provided, the friction shells be ing secured to the spring cage at either end by means of the bolts 32, 32 passing through the engaging flanges. shells is preferably a hollow cylinder in form having an internal friction face 33, and mounted therein is a plurality of friction shoes 34, each having an outer friction face 35 adapted to engage the friction face Each of the friction 33 of the shell, the said shoes being. preferably three in number and in annular arrangement, each of said shoes having a wedging face 36 opposed to a wedging face 37 with which the wedge 38 is provided, the wedging faces 37 of each wedge equalmg the number of shoes, and there being an antifriction roll 39 disposed between each wedging face of a friction shoe and the opposed wedging face of the wedge. At elther end the spring cage is provided with a movable spring seat 40 having a collar 41 adapted to slide in the friction shell adjacent thereto, and a shoulder 42 adapted to engage the inner end of the shell and limit the movement of the spring seat. Between each spring seat 40 and the friction shoes within the friction shell adjacent thereto is mounted a spring 43. In each friction shell a connecting rod 44 engages the movable spring seat 40 at one end and the wedge at its other end, each spring seat being provided with a recess 45 to receive the head thereof, and each wedge being provided with a recess 46 to receive the nut 47 thereof. The wedge of the rear friction shell is provided with an outwardly extended flange 49, the face 50 v of which is adapted to engage the cross plate 21 of the bumping post. The wedge of the front friction shell is provided with an outwardly extended flange 51 adapted to engage the bufiing member of a car, the said wedge being provided at its upper side with a forwardly extended finger 52 adapted to prevent the upward movement of the buffer member of a car when the same engages the front face 58 of the said wedge within the forward friction shell.

The spring cage contains a plurality of springs mounted between the movable spring seats, the said springs preferably comprising a central set 54, and sets 55, 55 surrounding the same, each of said sets of springs comprising preferably an outer spring 56 and an inner spring 57 nested therein. The spring cage is provided near either end with a pair of laterally disposed downwardly eX- tended jaws 58, 58, each forming a recess 59 to receive an arm 60 of the carrying frame for the shock absorbing member. Each of said arms is pivoted to the spring cage, preferably by the bolts 61 passing through the recesses 59 and the upper ends of the arm. The arms 60 are preferably four in number, the forward set and the rear set being preferably connected by the diagonal cross braces 62, 62, and upper and lower cross braces 63 and 64 respectively. At their lower ends each of said arms is pivoted to one of the supports 17, preferably by the bolts 65 passing through said arms, and through the jaws 66, 66 with which the sup ports are provided to form the recesses 67, 67 adapted each to receive the lower end of one of said arms. The said bolts 65, 65 are preferably provided at their outer ends with heads 68, and at their inner ends with pins 69 to prevent the accidental displacement thereof. Each of said arms 60 is provided at its lower end with a forwardly extended shoulder 70, which is adapted to engage the supports 17 when the parts within the spring cage and the friction shells are in normal position to limit the forward movement thereof, and to hold the rear wedge close to or in engagement with the cross plate 21 of the bumping post.

In preferable construction the friction members in each shell are adapted to alford a total longitudinal movement of four and onehalf inches, or a total travel of nine inches for the parts of the shock absorbing member 10.

From the foregoing description it is believed the operation of my device will be clear. When a railroad car traveling upon the railroad track with which the bumping post is associated approaches the same, the buffer thereof comes into engagement with the forward wedge 51 of the shock absorbing device, forcing the wedge and shoes of the front friction member rearwardly and compressing the spring 43 therein and a similar action occurs in the rear friction shell until the friction shoes within the friction shells engage the respective movable spring seats associated therewith. Meanwhile the springs within the spring cage are compressed, the action of the parts within the spring cage and friction shells in their engagement between the car and the bumping post affording a graduated resisting action of high capacity to the movement of the car. As the parts within the rear friction shell are compressed the shells and spring cage move rearwardly toward the bumping post upon the supporting arms 60. Upon the parts within the friction shells and spring cage assuming their normal positions the shoulders 70 at the lower ends of the arms 60 engage the supports 17, thus limiting the forward movement of the shock absorbing member 10 in relation to the bumping post.

I claim 1. A bumping post for railway cars comprising a stationary member and a shock absorbing member associated therewith, the shock absorbing member being provided with supporting arms adapted to permit longitudinal movement of the shock absorbing member in relation to the stationary member.

2. A bumping post for railway cars comprising a stationary member and a shock absorbing member associated therewith, the shock absorbing member being provided with supporting arms to permit the longitudinal movement of the shock absorbing member in reference to the stationary memher, said arms being pivoted to the station ary member.

3. A bumping post for railway cars comprising a stationary member and a shock absorbing member associated therewith, the shock absorbing member being provided with supporting arms to permit the longitudinal movement of the shock absorbing member in reference to the stationary member, said arms being pivoted at one end to the stationary member and at the other to the shock absorbing member.

4:. A bumping post for railway cars comprising a stationary member having a girder longitudinally arranged therein, a shock absorbing member adapted to engage at one end against the girder, the shock absorbing member being provided with supporting arms having longitudinal swinging movement.

5. A bumping post for railway cars comprising a stationary member, a shock absorbing member associated therewith, supporting arms for the shock absorbing members and supports for said arms, the said arms being pivoted to the supports and having a longitudinal swinging movement, the said arms being provided with shoulders adapted to engage the supports to limit the forward movement of said arms.

6. A bumping post for railway oars comprising a stationary member, a shock absorbing member adapted to engage against the stationary member, supporting arms for the shock absorbing member and supports for said arms, the said supports and the shock absorbing member being each provided with jaws to receive said arms, said arms being pivoted within said aws.

JOHN F. OCONNOR.

Witnesses:

\VM. H. HAIGHT, ELIZABETH BRITT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. C. 

